


Try Again

by mewlingss



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27513061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mewlingss/pseuds/mewlingss
Summary: Tarrlok paid for his past mistakes. When he's fresh out of prison, he didnt think he'd find himself before the Avatar once more.
Relationships: Korra/Mako (Avatar), Korra/Tarrlok (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	Try Again

He didn’t think he’d ever get out of Republic City Prison. Few have before. He knew that, as Republic City’s rising councilman, Tarrlock had made sure to toss the vermin that ran rampant in the city’s underbelly in prison. Not many got out, he wanted to clear the streets, make Republic City a glistening city of prestige, and ofcourse, entirely his own. 

Standing at the long-winding gates of the prison, he realises that it is a far away dream, a dream of a different man, with different ambitions and desires. Now, he doesn’t know what he wants, he only knows what he is now; a non-bender, his brother’s betrayer, a––

‘Hey, Tarrlock!’  
He would recognize that aggressive lilt anywhere. He turns around and sees her, Avatar Korra with her hands on her waist in an impatient stance. He remembers she had always been impatient, when they were on the task force together; when she would allow him one ear to tempt her to work with him, whilst being impatient to throw a punch at any passing equalist. She wasn’t impatient when he had exposed his disturbing past with his father and Noatak, nor was she impatient when she raced to save him. 

Why did she save him? 

He nods his head deftly towards her, ‘Avatar Korra’. Has she come to gloat? He doesn’t think so, he is far too familiar with the self-indulgent glint in her eyes. But for now, there is only wariness in it. From what?, he thinks, I’ve lost it all. 

‘You’re needed at City Hall’, she says, shifting her hips to the side as she takes him in. He’s lost considerable weight being locked up in prison, the indulgent and well-kempt Councilman is but a shadow of the man standing before her. 

Step away from Tarrlock, Amon. It’s over.  
Avatar. Let my brother and I pass.  
Noatak, please. It’s over.  
Amon!  
Enough, brother! 

Councilman Tarrlock had disappeared when he had struck down his own brother to aid the Avatar. Why did he help her? He fixes his shirt’s neckline, and motions for Avatar Korra to lead the way. 

Tenzin is not happy to see him. Neither are the rest of the council. But he stands before them with his hands clasped infront of him, in what he thinks is a remorseful stance. He did pay his due for his past errs. He catches Korra leaning against the wall with a petulant expression on her face, her arms crossed across her chest as she stands on the sidelines. 

Tenzin has been speaking for quite a while. From his years on the council, Tarrlock has learned when to shut off the Airbender’s ceaseless rhetoric on right and wrong. He wonders if Yakon felt the same way when he stood before Aang. He hears his name and summons himself from the dark recesses of his mind. 

‘Tarrlock’ Tenzin frowns, his thick brows angling sharply over his direct gaze, ‘you’ve spent a year in prison paying for your wrongs against Republic city, against this council, and against the Avatar’ 

He bows his head. He thinks he is penitent, at least that is what he thinks the ache in his chest is for. ‘I am ready for whatever the council finds befitting as harsher sentences’

Tenzin glances at the remaining council members, then turns to Korra. Tarrlock catches the silent exchange between the two. ‘Republic city is rebuilding itself in the wake of Amon’s wreckage. The damage his movement has wrought between benders and non-benders has not been simply solved by defeating him’ betraying him, a slithering voice echoes in Tarrlock, you betraying your brother. 

Tarrlock can’t quite catch the meaning behind Tenzin’s words. He glances at Korra, she is staring at her feet in determination. ‘I am at the beck and call of Republic city’ 

‘You’re Amon’s brother’ Korra finally speaks, ‘if anyone can speak to the angry people and sway them, it will be you’ 

He hides the surprise from his face, he has had years of practice for that. His face is blank except for a mild attentiveness. 

‘Can we trust you?’ She looks up at him and glares.  
The gaze he meets her own direct one with says, that is a good question, Avatar Korra, can you? 

It is decided. He will remain under the watchful gaze of Councilman Tenzin and Avatar Korra at the Air Temple, and every day from morning till night his attendance at City Hall is expected, to attend press conferences and redeem the image of Republic City’s governance in the eyes of the non benders, once those are done he joins the Avatar’s task force to eliminate the rogue equalists still wreaking havoc in the absence of Amon’s demise. His brother’s reign might have ended, but his ideology of freedom and equality still rang true to some of his fervent followers. 

Avatar Korra takes him on a tour of the temple, she is demure by his side. He finds her holding back a bit disconcerting, but he follows behind dutifully as she shows him his chambers. They are shabbier than his opulent town house at the outskirts of Republic City, where he used to entertain the richest and most influential of the city. Those days are past. He nods in thanks to the Avatar and sets his rucksack on the thin-mattress of his new bed. 

He thinks she’ll leave now, but when he turns around, he finds her lurking behind him. He raises an eyebrow in questioning. 

‘If we’re going to hunt down the remaining equalists, you’ll need your bending back’ she murmurs. 

He didn’t think they'd allow him his power back. He had made peace with it, accepted that a part of his being, his identity, and horrid past would be ripped from him forever. He walks up to the Avatar and stands before her. She meets his gaze with a fiery challenge, he didn’t think he’d continue to enjoy this constant stand off with her. ‘Has the council agreed?’ 

‘Yes’  
He eyes her for a few heartbeats, and then drops to his knees before her. 

She falters, but only a little, until she lets out a breath and brings her hand to his forehead. Tarrlock feels her power roam within him, tugging against a part of him until everything clicks into place. He shudders openly at the feel of his bending coming back to him, his soul opening up to him again. She takes away her hand from him, and he feels her watch him bend over as he savors his resurrection. 

She mutters, 'Don't make me regret it' 

When he looks up at her, he is smirking. 

‘Breakfast is at dawn, we’re expected early at City Hall’, she says curtly, hand already on the door knob. 

‘I never took you for an early riser’ He doesn’t know why he spoke, but he felt the need to, just to see something else come from her instead of the steely courtesy she bestows upon him. 

She turns sideways to him, ‘I wake up whenever I want’ 

‘Ofcourse, you’re the Avatar after all’ 

She mumbles out something indecent as the door slams behind her. He smiles to himself as he unpacks. He can get used to this. 

He falls into the routine of things. Icy meals with the airbending family and Korra. It seems only Peema and rowdy Meelo have something civil to say to him while they eat. Peema might ask him how his day was, if he would like another serving, or if he thinks things will ever be the same again between benders and non-benders. Tenzin glowers darkly at the exchange until Peema lays a gentle palm against his arm in reproach, he would then venture to ask if Tarrlock needs anything for his stay at the Air temple. 

Korra sits beside Tarrlock in sullenness. When his arm accidentally rubs against hers as he leans over to grab a plate, Korra stills. Tarrlock feels her tense up beside him, but she doesn't pull away, the warmth of her shoulder remains constant against him. But the sullenness remained, however, it never curbed her hearty appetite, as she tore through plate after plate hungirly. 

Sometimes, she would have guests over. Her firebending boyfriend, and his loud-spoken brother, for instance. Tarrlock didn’t think much of the avatar’s boyfriend, but the boy always seemed to glare at him. 

As the weeks progressed, he and Korra would find themselves more and more in each other’s company; pouring over maps and plans to weed out the equalists. One night after dinner, he sets out to find Korra so they can head out on their next mission, and finds her in the middle of a screaming match with her boyfriend. 

‘You’re never around anymore, and when you are--’ the boy rages on, ‘all you talk about are your missions.’ 

‘I’m the avatar, Mako! I have a responsibility to this city, if you can’t handle that then–’  
‘-then what, Korra?’ 

Tarrlock decides it's time to interrupt or else this will go on forever. ‘I’m sorry to be interrupting this lover’s spat, but the Avatar and myself have work to do’ 

Mako opens his mouth, and midway through a rebuke Korra stops him with a wave of her hand. ‘I got to go. We’ll talk later’ 

‘Yeah sure’ her boyfriend says petulantly. ‘If there’s a later’ 

When Korra and Tarrlock are in the back of the squad van on their way to intercept an illegal weapons’ deal between a manufacturer and equalist factions, Korra grunts and closes her eyes. ‘Screw Mako’ 

Tarrlock chuckles, ‘Language, Avatar Korra’ 

She doesn’t look back at him, but he watches a reluctant smile pull at the side of her small mouth. 

They sit in his office one night. Well not his office anymore, just an empty unassigned office after he had been stripped of his position on the council. Korra is tapping her foot against the carpeted floor as he explains something on the map to her. 

She is unfamiliar with the city, he knows that, but the Avatar disagrees. He's been explaining the information he's been curating on the web of hideouts equalists have established within Republic city's sewers. And the only reaction he has received from Korra is a petulant huh, and her incessant tapping feet. 

He reaches for her before he can stop himself, and splays his hand over her knee. It stops her tapping in an instant. Her knee is strong beneath his palm, radiating heat as he adds pressure to his hold. 'You're not paying attention' 

He rips his gaze away from the map to look up at her. Her cheeks are inflamed and red, but she is frowning. 'You're showing off' 

She doesn't ask him to move his hand, nor does she slap him. 'This is important for the Avatar to know, Korra, if you're going to turn out all the equalists in the city' 

'I-i'll figure it out myself' she grumbles, she shifts slightly under his palm. 

He takes his hand away and leans back in his chair. 'So you don't need me anymore' 

'Ofcourse I nee-' she stops. He watches her deliberate in short-tempered irritation, then gets up and starts packing her things. 'I have to go, Mako's waiting for me' 

'Very well' he says, waving a dismissive hand, 'Have fun with your firebending boy' he twitches his palm. 

'Stop calling him that'  
'What? A boy?' He smirks.  
'Just because we're working together doesn't mean you can say or do whatever you want' 

Tarrlock locks gazes with her, 'you don't know what I want' 

He watches her hesitate, it makes him get up and walk to where she stood. He could feel her warm breath against his face. 'You want Republic city as your own' 

He clicks his tongue, 'try again' 

She stabs him with her index finger against his chest as if to push him away. She's narrowed her eyes at him in challenge, 'don't play games with me, Tarrlock' 

He cups her cheeks with one hand forcefully and brings her closer to him. He feels her powers tingling underneath his touch, but she doesn't zap him away from her. 'I said, try again, Avatar Korra' 

Later, when he is in his chamber in the Air temple, he will think that it was Korra who had reached for him first. But he had wanted it as much. She brings both hands to cup the back of his head as her lips meet his. It takes him a moment to take in what she's done, before he kisses her back, softly against her suddenness. 

When he finds he is pulling her closer against him, her body easing against his own, Tarrlock feels her pull back from him a flourish, and resoundily punch him in the nose. 

He lets out a groan and doubles over in pain. 'Korra' 

'I told you, you can't do whatever you want' she doesn't sound angry. He looks up, she's flushed and breathing harshly. 

'I just did' 

He straightens up again and they stand staring at each other. She has her rucksack over one shoulder, a few, safe steps away from him. 'This can't happen again, Tarrlock' 

He crosses his arms over his chest, 'are you scared?' 

She rolls her eyes at him in irritation, 'I am not afraid' 

'Then come here and finish what you started' 

Korra stares at him in bewilderment for a moment, before she takes a rugged breath and blasts him to the other side of the room with air. 'Y-you're unbearable!' 

He laughs in weezes as the air she's knocked out of him seeps back in. He thinks, this new life as the Avatar's right hand man doesn't seem to be so bad.


End file.
